Pretty Pink and Waistcoat Nightmare!!

Hi Everyone, the sun is shining, we are now in official British Summer Time and we have been invited to an April Birthday Bash so I needed something to wear!!!


I chose a pretty pink fabric from my stash that had loads of drapey qualities and made this rather plain blouse.

I decided to glam it up a bit by stitching a row of diamonds [they're not real!!] around the neckline. I bought a metre of these on a string from a store in Aguilas, Spain last month for just €2.50 [about £1.80] but the add the right amount of sparkle I think.

I also made a tie that could be worn as a pussy bow, as a sash around the waist to turn the blouse into a tunic or threaded through the loops on my trousers waistband...

As it's a casual affair, I plan to wear the plum trousers I made recently and as I had enough fabric left over decided to make a matching waistcoat to complete the ensemble. The trouble I had with this was incredible and I nearly ended up throwing it in the bin. I sewed the shoulders  and all side seams of the waiscoat and lining then with right sides together I joined the lining to the body from the hem of one side around the neck and back down the other side. So far so good.... then I sewed around the first armhole and Oh dear!!! I couldn't figure out how on earth I should turn it the right way. I pulled it, pushed it, just about turned myself inside out in my frustration but it just wasn't going to happen.

So I turned to my library of books. Vogue, Readers Digest, Dressmakers Bible and loads of others but NONE of them had instructions of how to create a lined waistcoat and turn it right side out.... Thank goodness for You Tube. I found a couple of excellent tutorials and realised where I'd gone completely wrong. I shouldn't have sewn the side seams at all so, out came the seam ripper and after completing the armholes and then re-doing the side seams, I'd got it right. That just left the hem to be stitched by hand and the buttonholes. Phew!!!

I may post more pictures of me wearing the whole outfit on the day including hopefully, the birthday boy himself with the shirt I blogged last time as his gift.

Have you ever struggled to make a lined waistcoat or garment that just got in a muddle?

Birthday Shirt

Hi Everyone, It's been a while as I have been away in Spain for a couple of months getting a bit of sun to help get through the dreary winter in the UK.

I'm home again now and back in my sewing room. My first project has been a shirt as a 70th birthday gift for a friend. His wife emailed me his measurements so I'm hoping it will fit!! This is the first time I have made a garment for anyone other than myself or Hubby and I can tell you I was pretty nervous about it. In fact I will be until he opens it on 17th April and tries it on....

Small back pleat for a little ease.

The collar.

The shirt doesn't look brilliant on my 'female' dummy....

The cuff detail.

Have you ever made a gift for a friends' birthday?